Contact Rails

Contact rail is also referred to as ‘third rail’ and is used to transfer electricity to the train or tram. In addition it can also serve as a guide bar to limit the lateral movement of the railcars.

Contact rails are made of low carbon steel and produced according to each transit authority’s specifications. Low carbon steel is used in this application because it has about one third of the electrical resistance relative to the hard steel used for running rail.

Basic Dimensions
Technical Parameters
Example of Installation

Basic Dimensions

Profiles	Weight			Head width			Height			Base width	Web
	kg/m	lb/yd	mm	in	mm	in	mm	in	mm	in
150NMC (STR74, TR75)	74.00	149.18	104.80	4 1/8	103.19	4 1/16	123.83	4 7/8	69.85	2 3/4
STR40	40.27	81.18	80.00	3.15	105.00	4.13	80.00	3.15	18.00	0.71
T52	52.31	105.45	101.00	3.98	100.50	3.96	45.00	1.77	45.00	1.77
Guide Bar	44.35	89.41	100.00	3.94	150.00	5.91	25.00	0.98	n/a	n/a